SPONSORED BY
Good morning!
Okaloosa County School District’s graduation rate has jumped to 91%. Snow falls in Okaloosa County for the second consecutive year, former Okaloosa County Clerk JD Peacock announces his School Board bid, ERA American donates over $6,000 to Northwest Florida children through Operation Santa, Lady Vikings defeat the Indians 46-43 behind Boyd’s clutch finish, and pier construction continues for the Brooks Bridge replacement project.
- Plus, try today’s WordroW puzzle.
WEATHER
Snow…2nd year in a row
For the second year in a row, our area saw snow!
On Sunday, Okaloosa Public Safety Director Patrick Maddox confirmed a measurement of 2 inches of snow in Laurel Hill. Most reports range from a light dusting to 1 inch.
At my house in Fort Walton Beach, we had enough accumulation to build a small snowman about 10 inches tall.
SPONSORED
Raise your game
With Mastercard® rates as low as 7.9% APR and no balance transfer fee, it’s time to lower your rate and raise your game.
Eglin Federal Credit Union. Where Members Matter Most.
Apply in person or online at eglinfcu.org/mastercard. Must be 18 or older to apply online.
GAMES
WordroW: January 20, 2026
WordroW is brought to you by Fort Walton Beach Chiropractic – keeping your mind sharp and your spine aligned, one game at a time.
Can you guess today’s 5-letter word in six tries?
WordroW is Get The Coast’s daily word puzzle featuring local words, places, and phrases from our community. You have six guesses to find the mystery word – green letters are correct and in the right spot, yellow letters are in the word but wrong position, and gray letters aren’t in the word at all.
POLITICS
Former Okaloosa County Clerk JD Peacock announces School Board bid
JD Peacock has announced his candidacy for the Okaloosa County School Board District 1 seat.
- Peacock, a Shalimar resident, served as Okaloosa County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller from 2014 until leaving office. Prior to that, he spent 25 years with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, where he rose through the ranks to Major and Chief of Administration.
“Our student’s success should be our highest priority,” Peacock said in his announcement. “We need to elect leaders who have a proven track record of working with community members and leaders to accomplish the goals that will strengthen our schools.”
Peacock said he would prioritize providing teachers with tools, facilities and support, and working to ensure the district remains “transparent and accountable.”
Before his civilian law enforcement career, Peacock served in the U.S. Army.
He currently serves with the All Sport’s Association, the Emerald Coast Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Northwest Florida State College Foundation.
Last Thursday, current District 1 School Board member Dr. Lamar White announced that he would not seek reelection.
PROMOTED
ERA American donates over $6,000 to Northwest Florida children through Operation Santa
ERA American Real Estate celebrated another milestone in community giving this January through its partnership in Operation Santa 2025.
- In partnership with Families First Network, the company adopted 50 local children from Northwest Florida’s child welfare system, fulfilling personal wish lists for children who have experienced trauma, abuse, or neglect.
Through the collective efforts of ERA American staff, agents, and the company’s designated “ERA American Elf,” more than $6,000 in gifts were donated to ensure each child felt valued during the holiday season.
“There is no greater feeling than turning a child’s holiday wish into a reality,” said Wayne Myshin, who sponsored several children through the program. “I had the privilege of sponsoring several children through Operation Santa this year, and knowing these gifts are headed to homes that need them most has been the highlight of my season.”
The Operation Santa initiative allowed ERA American to serve as “Santa’s elves,” spreading holiday cheer throughout the community by addressing the specific wishes of children in need.
Click here to read the full story
SPORTS
Lady Vikings beat Indians 46-43 behind Boyd’s clutch finish
Aniyah Boyd’s and-one with seconds remaining lifted Fort Walton Beach to a 46-43 victory over rival Choctaw on Friday night, completing the Lady Vikings’ season sweep.
- With 12.9 seconds left and the score tied at 43, Fort Walton Beach executed out of a timeout.
After Choctaw’s Diaris Morales inbounded to Janyiah Brown, Abria Jackson intercepted the pass and quickly found Boyd. Following a brief exchange with Alexis Smith, Boyd drove to the basket, drew a foul and converted the free throw to put the Lady Vikings ahead. Smith then intercepted a desperate inbound pass to seal the win.
“This team is being put to the test,” Fort Walton Beach coach Mercedez Claybrone said. “They’re young, but they’re being thrown in the fire, and I think we’ve got a pretty good shot at making a run.”
TRAFFIC
Pier construction continues for Brooks Bridge replacement project
Pier construction continues for the Brooks Bridge replacement project in Okaloosa County.
- Crews are driving concrete piles that will become the foundation for a land pier on the new westbound bridge structure. Next, they will cut the piles to the required height and construct a reinforced concrete slab, or pier “footing,” to serve as the bridge foundation.
Recent photos taken from Fort Walton Beach looking east toward Okaloosa Island show several piers for the new westbound bridge structure in different stages of construction. The concrete structures in the background to the left of the existing bridge are completed piers for the new westbound structure.
The $171-million Brooks Bridge replacement project includes constructing two new, parallel bridge structures that will increase capacity from four to six travel lanes.
SCHOOL
Okaloosa County School District’s graduation rate jumps to 91%
The Okaloosa County School District’s graduation rate rose to 91% for the 2024-2025 school year, up from 87.7% the year before.
- District officials credit the improvement to student support systems, diverse academic pathways and engagement strategies designed to keep students on track for graduation.
“We are incredibly proud of our students and educators for this significant growth in Okaloosa County’s graduation rate,” Superintendent Marcus Chambers said. “Increasing from 87.7 percent to 91 percent in just one year reflects the hard work, perseverance and commitment of our students, the dedication of our teachers and staff, and the strong partnerships we share with families and our community.”
The increase aligns with Florida’s continued upward trend in graduation outcomes, according to the District.
Chambers said the school district remains focused on ensuring every student graduates prepared for success beyond high school. The district plans to expand opportunities that promote academic achievement, career readiness and postsecondary success for all students.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Tuesday! Help us shape the future of local news and make a meaningful impact on your community. Click here to learn how you can support us!
p.s. What did you think of this morning’s newsletter? Hit the reply button and let me know!
Jared
Published with ♥ by Get The Coast.
Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe here.
124 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548